


Leisure and Whiskey

by EdwardNotSoLittle



Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Crozier is dad, Gen, Gift Fic, Insinuated pre Joplittle, Tumblr Prompt, YOU'RE MY DAD BOOGIE WOOGIE WOOGIE, Youre my dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:15:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27477127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdwardNotSoLittle/pseuds/EdwardNotSoLittle
Summary: Tumblr prompt brought to my attention by the lovely HMSHistorian on tumblr.Jopson accidentally calls Crozier dad. Crozier is not mad.
Relationships: Captain Francis Crozier/Thomas Jopson, Thomas Jopson/Lt Edward Little
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29





	Leisure and Whiskey

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hmshistorian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hmshistorian/gifts).



> HMS, I am sorry this took so long!! I've had mass writers block due to er.. politics and work. I hope this made you smile!! Love you sweetie! <3 <3

He was so exhausted.

Perhaps that's how he now found himself sitting at the Great cabin table drinking with the Captain, how he let himself cave and indulge. 

He was by no means a drinker. The strong stuff occasional made him nauseous. Which was why every time the Captain offered him to drink with him, he'd turn it down a good majority of the time. 

"Jopson?"

Snapping from his internal gloom cloud of thoughts, Thomas looked up to find Captain Crozier offering to refill his glass. 

Oh how he admired the Captain. To him, he was more than a Captain. He saw him as a father figure of sorts. That attachment had been drilled in him after the man had jumped overboard to save his life during the Ross expedition. 

He should stop. He knew he needed to call it a night if the Captain no longer needed for him. 

With a soft smile, he nodded. 

The Captain’s warm smile had his heart fluttering and his own smile broadened. The soft steady trickle of whiskey being poured into the cut crystal glass in his hand filled his ears as he stared at the swirls and knots in the wood on the far wall. 

His own thoughts were a jumble and he felt badly for it. He should just let them drift away so he could focus on the one on one time with the Captain, it was such a rarity.

However, he couldn't stop focusing on his concern for some of the men. Namely, Lieutenant Little. The poor man appeared every day more dreadful than before.

Though he dare not confess nor approach the topic, Thomas fancied the strapping lieutenant. 

Those big brown eyes framed by beautifully long eyelashes. The way his greatcoat trimmed in at the waist complimented his backside. Broad shouldered and a rugged, hooded appearance even on a good day. 

"You don't usually indulge unless something troubles you." the Captain’s voice cut through his thoughts. 

Jopson blushed, “It’s nothing, sir.” 

Francis clasped a hand on his shoulder, “If it was nothing, lad, you wouldn’t be on your third glass of whiskey. Ye got some color on your cheeks.” 

He did indeed, and it burned even brighter upon being pointed out. 

The Captain simply shook his head as he set the decanter down. "Thomas," He began, his voice a mixture of reprimand while also remaining encouraging, "I've known you long enough to know when something is on your mind. If it shall put you at ease, whatever it may be will stay between us." 

Jopson was mortified, then again he really shouldn’t be that surprised. The Captain was one of the most candid men he’d ever encountered. It was why they got on so well together. That and the fact that though he was brutally honest, he also had a sense of humor, along with his morbid outlook on things… and the melancholy.

Could he really tell the Captain his deepest secret?

As he pondered he made the mistake of looking into the Captain’s sincere blue eyes. Blue. Those eyes that stared at him were so blue that they for some reason reminded Thomas of Poseidon of the Sea. 

He couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh and kicked back a quarter of his drink. "I'm just as bad as Mr Hickey, sir." 

That got Crozier's attention and though he honestly expected the man to be angered and even offended by the sudden presence of another sailor's self-loathing, his voice was instead gentle when he spoke. 

What he said made him choke on his next sip of whiskey. 

"This is about Lieutenant Little then."

He sputtered and cast wide, pale eyes up at his Captain. 

_ How did you? _

"Aye, lad I've seen the way you look at him." 

_ God dammit Captain, is there nothing that gets by you?  _ He thought. 

Jopson felt his cheeks burning unbearably hot. 

The Captain traced the rim of his glass with a fingertip, “I’ve also seen how he looks at you.” he added. 

Oh that definitely caught his attention. 

"Hes… hes wut?" he cursed how small and squeaky his voice came. 

The Captain snorted at his steward's little slurred words. "Aye, the man fancies."

Poor Jopson turned a deep red and gulped back the rest of his drink before burying his face in his hands with a groan. His face was hot. It was too hot in here.

Crozier shrugged and poured him another and himself as well since he'd just finished his own. He'd make sure to go easy on the lad tomorrow. 

"I must say, I'm surprised ye hadn't noticed by now. You know everything on this ship." He chuckled.

"Well certainly not tha…  _ hic _ ,sir!"

The lad despaired of the discovery, whether he was embarrassed that he already knew about his secret or that he theorized that his second fancied him as well. 

"If it is any consolation, lad, I don't think anything less of ye for it." 

Jopson let out a huff and buried his face in his arms on top of the table. "Yessir… that is a comfort." 

Crozier sighed, Jopson was charming and well-mannered most of the time. In fact there were very few people the lad felt comfortable enough around to be difficult with. 

Mr Blanky, Mr Diggle, Doctor MacDonald, and himself.

Those were the few people on the ship seasoned in their years to understand that even the sailor's who do their duties with impeccable precision every day, do have bad days. They didn't expect the world from him.

Himself, rarely, mostly out of respect. Yet, here it was, perhaps from drink.

"Oh, getting sassy now are we?" He couldn't help but chortle his amusement. 

The lad let out an indignant noise and fidgeted with his hands, blinking tiredly. Francis couldn't help but think he appeared so very young like this. Well, Jopson was still young and Francis couldn't forget that easily. No, he still remembered that fresh-faced and well-mannered lad when he first stepped foot in this same room back in 1839. 

"No," the lad huffed, cheeks bright red as he pulled at his cravat uncomfortably. He felt too hot.

"Here." Francis chuckled as he reached over and untied the article for him. 

Jopson blushed shyly, "Thanks Dad." 

Almost as soon as the words had left his lips, the lad turned an additional eight shades of red. Francis snorted out a laugh and his poor steward buried his face in his hands mumbling apologies.

"Forgive me, sir! I-I forgot myself… I-I why are you laughing!? It's not funny!"

Francis broke into a fit of giggles that he struggled to contain as he reached over and patted Thomas on the shoulder.

"Nay, don't worry lad. I felt I took you in as soon as that cute little face of yours stepped 'board my ship. Your secret is safe with me." 

Still reeling with embarrassment, Jopson could only manage a very soft, "Thank you, sir." 

"Now, let's talking about what I am to do about my future son in law. Would it be Thomas Little?" 

Jopson gawped, "Sir!"


End file.
